


Stay

by SNScanon



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Angst, Drama, Eventual Romance, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28900209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SNScanon/pseuds/SNScanon
Summary: Unofficial manga chapter 54 (Boruto)Sasuke finds out about Naruto's sacrifice.
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 12
Kudos: 48





	Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Hello guys!
> 
> Yes, I have to finish the last chapter of my other story (I'm on it!) but I couldn't help but write this when I read the manga yesterday. So, I hope you like it! It is a mere invention of mine, be warned! Once again, I remind you that I don't speak English. So if you see any errors, don't hesitate to tell me!
> 
> Enjoy!

The fight against Isshiki was devastating, but the fight against Borushiki was exhausting in every single way. Sasuke could feel the tiredness creeping into his body now that things seemed to return to normal (if such a thing existed). He had knelt in front of Naruto's seemingly unconscious body, not knowing what to do. He had no idea what was wrong with him, but he had a suspicion that if he didn't do something now, Naruto would die. Because yes, he was still alive. He could feel it. But he was weak. So much so that he terrified him. From the moment he reached out to check if he was okay, he sensed it. Something was wrong.

In the distance, Boruto rejoined when he felt that he was able to use his body again. He was exhausted, stunned, and confused, but he used all of his energy to stay on his feet anyway. Beside him, Kawaki sat, catching his breath and grudgingly complaining that he had to set himself on fire to save his ass. Boruto half smiled.

"Can you get up?"

"I'm fine" Kawaki said reluctantly. "You better worry about Lord Seventh."

"… what?"

"Your father… something's wrong with him, and we don't know what it is" he said, with obvious concern in his words, as he gathered the strength to stand up, despite the burns on his skin.

Boruto looked towards where Sasuke and Naruto were. Seeing his father lying on the ground, he ran towards him, as best he could, stumbling.

"Dad!!"

Sasuke looked at him, relieved that he's Boruto again, and at the same time, alert. Boruto walked over and knelt next to him, staring at Naruto with wild eyes. Naruto's appearance was getting worse. He seemed unconscious, but...

"Sasuke-san, what happened to him?"

"Sincerely I don’t know. He couldn't explain to me. The most likely thing is that he has to do with that strange power that he displayed in battle” he said, not bothering to disguise the concern in his words, although his face remained as stoic as ever.

"That’s true..." he whispered to himself, remembering seeing his father fight Isshiki using a transformation that he had never seen in his life. He only remembered feeling a large amount of chakra emanating from him. It was almost beastly. Boruto looked at his teacher, who had his eyes fixed on his father. Boruto gulped "Sasuke-san, I... I'm so sorry..."

Sasuke looked at him. Kawaki walked over to them, holding where his arm was missing. Boruto closed his eyes, and clenched his fists.

"I'm sorry I caused you more trouble... If I had freed myself from Momoshiki's control earlier..."

"Is okay, it was unexpected" Sasuke interrupted "Then we take care of that. Now we have to get Naruto to Konoha, as soon as possible."

"Yes, yes, you're right" he nodded frantically, trying to reassure himself. Sasuke carried Naruto's body onto his back, making use of all of his arm's ability and all of his remaining strength. Boruto looked confused “What are you doing? Why doesn't use the space-time jutsu? Don't you think it's faster like this, than running away? "

"He can't use it anymore" Kawaki snapped harshly, but with a hint of pity.

Boruto looked at Sasuke and then at Kawaki, even more confused than before.

"Why not?"

Sasuke sneaked a glance at Kawaki, trying to convey with his gaze that he didn't want to tell Boruto the truth. He already felt guilty enough for what happened, and if he found out that he also had destroyed his Rinnegan, he could make it even worse. There would be time for explanations.

Kawaki caught his intentions.

"Because he ran out of chakra" he finally agreed, sighing "The best thing is to walk. We have no other choice. "

“But that way we will take longer! My father needs medical attention immediately!” he exclaimed angrily.

Sasuke didn't say anything. Kawaki didn't know what to answer. Boruto looked at the two of them, his lips trembling with anger and helplessness. Boruto turned around, and started to walk away. Kawaki took a few steps toward him, snorting in annoyance.

"And now where are you going?"

“I will go to the village, and bring help. If I go alone, I can do it faster. "

“Don't be too hasty, moron. We don't even know where we are!" Kawaki yelled at him and Sasuke stared at him, stunned.

Oh no…

"Shut up, I'm not going to stand here with my arms crossed!" he yelled, and saw Sasuke drop Naruto back on the ground "What... Sasuke-san?"

"No way… Damn, we don't know where we are…"

"What? What happen?" Boruto approached again, and Kawaki looked at Sasuke, not understanding.

"We can't go to the village" Sasuke muttered, kneeling "We are in another dimension. You remember? You got us in here using Momoshiki's technique. "

Kawaki didn't bother to hide his expression of surprise, and soon frowned in annoyance. Boruto grabbed his head.

"Aaaah, it's true!!" he exclaimed, horrified "Oh no! Now what will we do?! How the hell are we going to get out of here?!"

"Can't you use that technique again?" Kawaki inquired, looking at Boruto, now more alarmed.

"I don’t know. Probably when I plucked that horn, I also severed my connection with Momoshiki. "

"I doubt it" Sasuke intervened, seriously, considering the idea of using that technique again "I doubt that that plague has disappeared completely ..."

"So there is still hope to return to our dimension" Kawaki nodded, and looked back at Boruto "Can you try?"

"I have almost no chakra left" he lamented, feeling even more helpless.

Sasuke looked at Naruto, and bit his lip. They couldn't waste any more time. Maybe Naruto wouldn't have more time. Sasuke stood up, and Boruto and Kawaki looked at him.

"Listen Boruto, I'll do the chakra transfer jutsu right now" he announced, getting a little closer to him "With that chakra, I want you to use the space-time technique and get us out of here."

"But, Sasuke-san..."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Kawaki interjected, angry and tired, giving him a shove on the shoulder. “Weren't you the one who said that you didn't want to waste time, that Lord Seventh needed medical attention? So? What the hell are you waiting for, Boruto?!"

"It's not that easy!" he complained, glaring at him "If it doesn't go well, it could send us to another dimension."

"Well it will have to turn out well, or your dear father will die!" Kawaki exclaimed, and Sasuke looked at him reluctantly, but he was right. Boruto looked at Naruto, and his lips trembled. Kawaki sighed, trying to calm down. This time he put his hand on his shoulder, applying a little pressure “Listen, you are our only hope. Lord Seventh needs help. I... I don't want anything bad to happen to him. Please… I know you can do it."

Boruto looked at him, and for some strange reason, he believed him. He knew the esteem he held for his father. In turn, he knew that his father had cared for Kawaki since he accepted him into his family. He had to at least try. There was no time to lose. Boruto looked at Sasuke, and nodded decisively. Sasuke didn't know what was going to come of it all, but they had no choice. Sasuke put his hand in position.

“I will give you enough so that you can use that jutsu. I'll be weak after this, so don't worry” he explained, and the boys nodded "If something were to go wrong... if Momoshiki tries to control you again..."

"It won't" Boruto interrupted "Not this time."

Kawaki stood next to Boruto.

“I will be alert anyway. If things get complicated, I will not hesitate to kill you, _dear bro_ ” said Kawaki, sneering. Boruto smirked at him falsely, and then looked at Sasuke.

Sasuke sighed, and concentrated.

Whatever it has to be...

When Sasuke started giving his chakra to Boruto, Boruto felt that he was recovering little by little. However, Sasuke was beginning to lose his balance. When he finished, he fell to the ground, on his knees. Kawaki wanted to get closer to him, but remembered that he had to watch out for Boruto. Boruto reveled in the sensation of Sasuke's chakra inside of him. It was something indescribable. Cool, but scary. Boruto firmly thought of wanting to return to his dimension, to his village, and performed the technique. A black hole appeared in front of them, and Boruto looked at them. Sasuke put Naruto back on his back, but having no energy, he made it even more difficult. Kawaki helped him walk, as they entered the hole together with Boruto.

Everything faded to black, and by the time they emerged from that dark haze, they arrived. They didn't know where, but they got somewhere. And then everything happened very fast. Sasuke barely realized they were at the entrance to Konoha when he saw Shikamaru and the other shinobi running towards them. He smiled, wearily, and looked at Boruto. Boruto smiled at him, saddened and at the same time, grateful. They had succeeded. Kawaki dropped to the ground in relief. He felt that they had been away for days, and it was only a few minutes.

They all approached Sasuke, who couldn't even move. He brushed them off, asking that they take care of Naruto first. Sadara was there too, and she pounced on his father, clearly concerned. Sakura appeared from the crowd that was beginning to form around her. Sasuke begged her to take care of Naruto. Sakura saw Naruto unconscious, and nodded.

Although Sasuke was no longer aware of his own weariness and injuries, the village doctors took care of him as well. But Sasuke couldn't stop thinking about Naruto. Shikamaru was relieved that they were okay, but he kept asking him what had happened, and what had Naruto got. Sasuke didn't know what to answer. He even he didn't know what Naruto had. But he was no good. Boruto and Kawaki were in another room, while tending to his injuries.

After at least an hour, and already feeling better, he left his room and into Naruto's. He stayed in the hall, since the door was half closed. Curious, he leaned out a bit. Hinata and Himawari were on the sides of Naruto's bed, who was still unconscious. Sakura was with them. Sasuke backed away from the door, and leaned against the wall in front of the door.

He spent at least half an hour more, until Sakura left the room. She didn’t have a good face. Sasuke felt a knot in his stomach. Sakura looked at him, and forced a smile.

"Can we talk?"

Sasuke nodded, and they both moved a bit away from the rooms. Sakura was holding a folder with shaking hands. Sasuke felt that this was not good news.

"He's awake" Sakura announced, and Sasuke stared at her. He knew there were more "But I don't know for how long, actually..."

That.

"What are you talking about?"

Sakura pursed her lips. Sasuke trembled.

"... Naruto is dying."

Sasuke closed his eyes, and felt his heart stop. That something cold and heavy formed inside of him, spreading over his body in an instant. It was fear. Uncertainty. But it was more fear than anything else. He didn't even bother to hide the misery on his face. Sakura looked at her folder.

“His defenses are very low, also his chakra level. His vital signs are weak... I don't understand what happened, but he's bad. I tried to do my healing sessions but to no avail. For some reason, the chakra that Kurama usually sends him is blocked. There is nothing else we can do for him."

Sasuke nodded, looking at nothing. He was so absorbed in the thoughts of him, that he had not realized that he had sat on the floor. Sakura sat next to him, silently. Sasuke waved his hand nervously.

"May I see him?" he hesitated.

“Hinata and Hima are with him now. Then you can come in” she smiled affectionately, caressing his arm “And how are you? Better?"

"It's nothing, I'm already recovering."

"Let me know anything." Sasuke nodded, not looking at her. Sakura stared at him “I'm so sorry… I know what Naruto means to you. I too am devastated. I feel like I'm not quite down yet. I'm confused."

"Me too" he admitted with his voice soft.

He didn't want to keep thinking about it, but the situation had gotten over it. He knew that Naruto was up for anything, but he never imagined that he would resort to something like that. Suddenly a feeling of anger and frustration washed over him. He was upset with Naruto, for doing something like that. He knew that as shinobi they had a duty to lay down their lives for Konoha, but still, he couldn't help feeling terrible. He still had this magnificent idea that if they died, they would do it together. But apparently things will be very different.

Minutes passed, and both Hinata and Himawari walked out of Naruto's room, their faces worried. Hinata walked past Sasuke, and looked at him. She gave him a sad smile, and she nodded. Sasuke gulped. He was almost afraid of the idea of going in, but he did it anyway. When he did, Naruto was sitting on the bed. He looked tired, pale. It didn't look like him. Sasuke leaned a little closer. Naruto looked at him, and smiled.

"Sasuke... I'm glad you're okay!" he exclaimed, with his usual spirit. Sasuke was surprised by that, though not entirely. Naruto was known to be a person with exorbitant energy. Still, Sasuke didn't bother to answer. Naruto insisted "How is your eye?"

"Don't change the subject” he answered bluntly, moving closer to his bed, just a little. Naruto looked nervous. Sasuke stopped, and just blurted out "So... you're dying."

Naruto sighed.

"I was going to tell you..."

"Oh really? When? During a séance?" Naruto tilted his head, and Sasuke walked to the edge of the bed, his gaze sharp "How could you do something like that?"

"Hey, if it weren't for that, we wouldn't have beaten Isshiki in the first place."

"So you don't think you went too far this time?"

"What are you talking about? You were there, you fought with him! We weren't going to be able to beat him! " Sasuke now paced the room, fighting back the urge to strangle him himself. Naruto snorted “You said it yourself, Sasuke. That neither you nor I would hesitate to give our lives for the village."

Sasuke stopped with his back to him. He took a breath to calm himself. Naruto was there, but he didn't know for how long. The thought of losing him devastated him. He was desperate internally. He was going to go crazy with pain. Naruto sensed it, but he didn't know what to do. Sasuke sighed, and turned to him.

"Naruto, I want you to tell me what the hell happened to you. Why can't Kurama heal you anymore? Why…?" he stopped, feeling weak "Why are you dying?"

Naruto looked down, and played with the fold of the sheet with his hand. He bit his lip nervously. Sasuke walked back to the edge of the bed.

"Kurama had this jutsu put away in case of emergency" he began, without looking at him "In my defense, I had never heard of it. I had no idea. Kurama talked about a nuclear fusion or something. We basically joined our chakras into one, creating a new energy that was fed from both chakras..."

"I'm starting to understand" Sasuke interrupted, feeling devastated. His voice trembled, but he didn't care "Both chakras created that energy, and at the same time it consumed them..."

"Right" he smiled sadly "The more time we used it, the more our life time was consumed" Sasuke moved closer, until he was next to him, and sat on the edge of the mattress "That's why I acted that way. Every hit was vital."

Sasuke clenched his fist and pushed him against the mattress.

"You could have told me..."

"For what? What good would it have been?” Sasuke stared at him, feeling a sharp pain in his chest "I don't know exactly how much time I have left, but if I keep using my chakra, I'll eventually die faster."

Sasuke didn't stop looking at him, not knowing what else to say. Naruto's eyes were tired, but the glow in his iris was still intact. He didn't know for how long. He had always paid attention to the color of his eyes. They were mesmerizing. He remembered the times he felt his legs shake every time he saw them. So deep, so intense. He loved to lose himself in them whenever he could. To think that they were about to be extinguished, it hurt too much. It was unbearable. He, who was always in charge of hiding his emotions from him, couldn’t prevent the tears from running down his cheek.

"So there is no way to reverse it?"

"Not anymore" he denied, staring at him. With his real hand, he caressed Sasuke's cheek, wiping away the liquid trail "Hey, is okay..."

"No it's not…"

Sasuke rested his hand on his own, allowing himself to lose himself in the sea of his eyes. Naruto stroked him gently.

“At least it leaves me time to put things in order here. I am weak, but as long as I don’t use my chakra, I will be a while longer. It's just a matter of waiting. "

Sasuke didn't stop looking at him, wondering when he felt so weak for him. Probably since they were inexperienced genins. But he knew, deep down, what Naruto meant to him. It was more than something brotherly or friendly. It was love. It hurt to love him, but he let it be, because Naruto deserved happiness. He didn't deserve it. Even when Naruto berated him.

Sasuke didn't realize when his faces got closer, and it was dangerous. Someone could come in. Sasuke pulled himself together a bit, and cleared his throat, arching his back. Naruto withdrew his hand from him.

"You should take advantage and spend time with your family" he said, trying to sound disinterested.

Naruto smirked.

"I want to be with you…"

"It’s not what you should."

"But it is what I want."

Sasuke pursed his lips, and gently shook his head.

"Naruto, don't make it more difficult ..."

Naruto put his hand on his cheek again, but this time he pulled him a little closer. Sasuke didn't stop him.

"Don't you want to spend time with me?"

How dangerous that sounded. Sasuke glanced over his face, memorizing it. Loving it.

"... you know I do want..."

"So?"

Sasuke sighed.

"What about your family?"

“I will be with them. But I want to spend time with you too."

Sasuke was hesitant. He wanted to say yes, but he couldn't. Naruto sensed the mental debate that his friend had, and smiled sadly.

"No, it's not okay. Is not correct."

"Sasuke ..."

"No, listen to me" he said, and once again his face was so close to his own, that he could feel his breath crashing against his lips "I love you" he blurted out, so low, he could barely hear him "I always do. But we can’t…"

“I know” he smiled, stroking his cheek and his hair “I love you too, and you know it. But you wanted this. You wanted things to be like this. You said you didn't deserve to have me. That I deserved to be happy, to have a real family. That you couldn't give me that ... that you didn't deserve to have that" Sasuke nodded, undone. Naruto brought his foreheads together gently "How much longer are you going to chastise yourself?"

Sasuke didn't move, but he was sure that if someone came in, it would be very difficult to explain why he and the Seventh were in like this. Still, even knowing this, he didn’t turn away. On the contrary, he took courage, and kissed his lips gently. Naruto reciprocated, and pressed his mouth harder.

"Is that a yes?" he smiled more.

"Maybe" he bit his lip, not moving away "I still don't know what you have on your mind from now on, but I want to be in the know."

“I have something in mind. You won't like it, but I don't know if there's another way."

“I think I know what you mean, and… it's probably for the best. As much as I don't want it..."

Naruto nodded, and kissed him once more, quickly.

“So we have a lot to do before that. I have to put things in order, talk to Shikamaru, Boruto, Kawaki... Will you help me?"

"You know I will... _usuratonkachi_ " he smiled at him, and Naruto returned the gesture, stroking the back of his hand with his fingers.

From outside, someone knocked on the door twice, then leaned out. It was Sakura, with two other nurses.

"Sorry to interrupt, but you need another healing session, Naruto" she said, in an affable tone "I know it might not do much, but now that you can't recover on your own, you need it. At least it's something” she wailed, swallowing hard.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan" he gave her a warm smile, and then he looked at Sasuke "See you later."

Sasuke smirked, and ruffled his hair with his hand. When he was leaving, he looked at Sakura, and gave her a gentle squeeze on her shoulder. Sakura smiled at him gratefully and started to start treatment.

In the hallways, Sasuke tried to psych himself up. Naruto's days were numbered. They had a lot to do before that, even assuming Boruto wouldn't suffer another attack from Momoshiki, and that Kawaki would be fine. He didn't want to admit it, but the only thing he genuinely cared about was spending as much time with Naruto as possible. Make the most of it. Even though he knew that he had to find a way to deal with the enemies that stalked them.


End file.
